Profile
For more than three decades, François Bianchi has specialised in banking and banking regulation. He advises and represents financial institutions in regulatory proceedings before FINMA, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority. He also has a strong practice in white collar crime and investigations. François advises issuing houses, issuers and institutional investors in debt and equity capital market transactions, structuring and registration of collective investment schemes, structuring of derivative transactions, AMCs (actively managed certificates), structured finance transactions, EMTN, warrant and structured products programmes.
Experience
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Counselling Swiss and international financial institutions in legal and regulatory matters, in particular:
- Domestic and international banks and asset managers doing business in Switzerland
- Domestic and international broker-dealers and issuing houses doing business in Switzerland
- Swiss and international fund providers in the context of the Federal Collective Investment Schemes regulations
- Swiss financial institutions in connection with internal investigation matters
- Swiss investment foundations with an investment focus on private debt and real estate
François Bianchi serves on the boards of various regulated financial services providers.
- The International Capital Markets Review – Chapter 15: Switzerland in: The Law Reviews, 2021, Edition 11 (Law Business Research Ltd.)
- Debt Capital Markets in Switzerland 2021 in: LexGTDT – Debt Capital Markets 2021, Law Business Research, March 2021
- The International Capital Markets Review – Chapter 18: Switzerland, 2020 in: The Law Reviews, 2020, Edition 10 (Law Business Research Ltd.)
- Switzerland: An Introduction to Capital Markets in: Chambers Europe 2020
- Debt Capital Markets in Switzerland 2020 in: Lexology Getting the Deal Through – Debt Capital Markets 2020, Law Business Research, 30 March 2020
- Switzerland’s New Financial Market Architecture (3rd Edition / 2019) in: NKF Publication #21
- Debt Capital Markets 2019 in: Getting the Deal Through – Debt Capital Markets 2019, Law Business Research Ltd, Page 53-59
- The International Capital Markets Review – Chapter 23: Switzerland in: The Law Reviews, 2018, Edition 8 (Law Business Research Ltd.)
- RDF-Länderreport Schweiz: Aktuelle Entwicklungen im Aufsichts-, Zivil,- Bilanz- und Steuerrecht für den Kapitalmarkt in: Recht der Finanzinstrumente, 1.2018, S. 75-80 (6 Pages)
- Debt Capital Markets 2018 in: Getting the Deal Through – Debt Capital Markets 2018, Law Business Research Ltd., Page 65-71
- NKF Client Alert: NKF Banking, Finance & Regulatory Team – Update 7/2017: Publication of the revised FINMA-Circular 2018/3 “Outsourcing – banks and insurance companies Online Publication, 8 December 2017
- NKF client alert: NKF Banking, Finance & Regulatory Team – Update 6/2017: partial revision of AMLO-FINMA: consultation process until 16 October 2017 Online Publication, 14 September 2017 (3 Pages; 158 kb)
- NKF client alert: NKF Banking, Finance & Regulatory Team – Update 5/2017: swiss banking regulations become more FinTech-friendly Online Publication, 14 July 2017 (3 Pages; 163 kb)
- NKF Banking, Finance & Regulatory Team – Update 4/2017 Online Publication, 12 May 2017
- Debt Capital Markets 2017 in: Getting the Deal Through – Debt Capital Markets 2017, Law Business Research Ltd., Page 82-89
- Client Alert November 2016 (Update on Proposed Amendments to the Draft FIDLEG/FINIG) Online Publication, 14 November 2016 (2 Pages; 818 kb)
- Equity Capital Markets in Switzerland: Regulatory overview in: Practical Law Capital Markets Global Guide 2016/17, Thomson Reuters, 2016 (16 Pages; 5379 kb)
- Switzerland’s New Financial Market Architecture (2nd Edition / May 2016) NKF-Schriftenreihe Publikation # 20
- Debt Capital Markets 2016 in: Getting the Deal Through – Debt Capital Markets 2016, Law Business Research Ltd, Page 100-106 (11 Pages; 576 kb)
- Kommentierung der Artikel 14 – 16 KAG in: Watter/Vogt/Bösch/Rayroux/Winzeler (Hrsg.), Basler Kommentar – Kollektivanlagengesetz, 2. Aufl., Basel 2016
- Switzerland’s new financial market architecture – the current status in: Global Asset Management & Servicing Review 2016/17, Pages 21-25
- RdF-Länderreport Schweiz: Aktuelle Entwicklungen im Aufsichts-, Zivil-, Bilanz- und Steuerrecht für den Kapitalmarkt, 2016 in: Recht der Finanzinstrumente, 1.2016, S. 66-70 (5 Pages; 109 kb)
- Client Alert September 2015 (Continued Appointment of Swiss Representative and Paying Agent once Distribution to Qualified investors in Switzerland Terminates?) Online Publication, 25 September 2015
- Debt Captital Markets in Switzerland: Regulatory Overview, 2015 in: Practical Law Capital Markets Global Guide 2015/16, Thomson Reuters, 2015 (12 Pages; 5693 kb)
- Neue Finanzmarkt-Architektur: Auswirkungen auf das Fonds-und Asset Management-Geschäft in: B2B Schweizer Magazin für kollektive und strukturierte Investments Nr. 53, Juni 2015, S. 11-13
- Debt Capital Markets 2015 in: Getting the Deal Through – Debt Capital Markets 2015, Law Business Research Ltd, S. 96-102
- Switzerland’s New Financial Market Architecture NKF Schriftenreihe Publikation #18 (100 Pages; 723 kb)
- Client alert December 2014 (asset managers of foreign collective investment schemes: Expiration of deadline to apply for FINMA license) Online Publication, 19 December 2014 (2 Pages; 402 kb)
- Client alert November 2014 (new rules for the distribution of foreign collective investment schemes to qualified investors) Online Publication, 17 November 2014 (2 Pages; 423 kb)
- Client alert September 2014 (new rules for the distribution of structured products in Switzerland) Online Publication, 30 September 2014 (2 Pages; 414 kb)
- Switzerland’s New Financial Market Architecture NKF Schriftenreihe Publikation #18
- Client alert August 2014 (an introduction to the new financial institutions act [FINIG]) Online Publication, 8 August 2014 (2 Pages; 404 kb)
- Debt Capital Markets 2014 in: Getting the Deal Through – Debt Capital Markets 2014, Law Business Research Ltd, S. 96-103 (12 Pages; 838 kb)
- RdF-Länderreport Schweiz: Aktuelle Entwicklungen im Aufsichts-, Zivil-, Bilanz- und Steuerrecht für den Kapitalmarkt in: Recht der Finanzinstrumente, 1.2014, S. 70-74 (5 Pages; 176 kb)
- Making the most of it – the capital markets team at NKF discusses the legal framework for capital raising in Switzerland in: The 2011 Guide to Capital Markets
1986
University of Miami, School of Law, LL.M.
1985
Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
1984
Admitted to the Bar, Rechtsanwalt
1981
University of Zurich, PhD, magna cum laude
Best Lawyers 2010 – 2024
The Legal500 EMEA 2018 – 2023 – Recommended
IFLR1000 2017 – 2023 – Highly Regarded
Who’s Who Legal: Global 2019 – 2022
Who’s Who Legal: Switzerland 2016 – 2022
Chambers Global 2007 – 2020
Chambers Europe 2007 – 2020
- Swiss Bar Association
- Zurich Bar Association
- SFTA Swiss Finance + Technology Association
2022
Of Counsel, Niederer Kraft Frey
1996
Partner, Niederer Kraft Frey
1987
Associate, Niederer Kraft Frey
1982
Clerk with the District Court of Uster
German
English
French
Spanish